The Presidential Daily Brief

intriguing

Should Courts Bail on the Bail?

Nearly half a million people are behind bars in the U.S. without a conviction, OZY reports, because they can’t afford bail. California was the first state to end the cash bail system, and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has asked his state’s courts to do the same for most minor crimes. Meanwhile, legislation has been introduced to end the practice in federal cases.

What’s wrong with cash bail? Critics of the system argue it unfairly burdens the poor, and many organizations have begun stepping up to provide funds for those who can’t buy their own freedom.